This invention relates to a device usable with a squeeze type eye dropper bottle to keep a person's eyelids open while the bottle is being squeezed to spray eye solution into the eye. Many people find it difficult to keep the eyelids open while putting eye drop solutions into the eye; I have invented an attachment for an eye dropper bottle that can be actuated to automatically keep the eyelids open (separated) while the solution is being dropped into the eye.
Prior to my invention at least one device has been suggested for the purpose of keeping a person's eyelid open during the process of injecting solution into the person's eye. U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,750 to B. Bosshold shows an attachment 16 for an eye dropper bottle 10. The attachment comprises two flexible arms 18 having pads 22 adapted to engage the person's eyelids. Bottle 10 includes a nozzle 12 oriented to spray solution into the space between pads 22. In use of the attachment, flexible arms 18 are squeezed together, after which the attachment is manipulated so that pads 22 are pressed against the person's eyelids. When the pressure on the flexible arms is released the arms spring apart as shown in FIG. 2; this action causes the eyelids to separate. With the eyelids separated (opened) bottle 10 is squeezed to drop one or two drops of solution into the eye.
My invention relates to an attachment that is somewhat similar to the attachment shown in the Bosshold patent. However, in my proposed device the eyelid-engagement members are formed as thin laterally-projecting ears rather than large area pads. In use of my device the elongated arms are oriented laterally to one side of the eye, such that the person is enabled to use his other eye to see the eye being treated. This arrangement is different than that proposed in the Bosshold patent arrangement; in the Bosshold arrangement the eye dropper bottle and attachment are positioned substantially directly in front of the eye being treated so that it is difficult for the person to use his other eye to see into a mirror to see the bottle nozzle or the liquid being injected into the eye.
Another possible difficulty with the Bosshold arrangement is the fact that pads 22 are the only components in contact with the person's eye or adjacent head area; the attachment is steadied against the person's head only by reason of the pressure existing between pads 22 and the eyelid surfaces. If the manual pressure is excessive, the person is apt to feel some pain in the eye being treated. If the manual pressure is insufficient, the attachment may tend to slip away from the eyelids or become unsteady, i.e., wobble or shift back and forth.
My proposed attachment is designed so that end surfaces on the attachment arms can be engaged with the side area of the person's nose to steady the attachment device, or the device can be rested on the outer (temporal) portion of the eye. The arms can be swung toward the person's eye, using the side area of the person's nose as a fulcrum point. Pressure on the person's eyelids can be readily controlled while the device is held in a steady position against the side area of the person's nose.
In preferred practice of my invention, the eye dropper bottle is adjustably positioned on the attachment device so that the distance between the bottle and the person's eye can be varied according to individual desires.